1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to suspenders, and more particularly, to suspenders for use with snowpants.
2. Background of the Invention
There are two basic types of pants worn by winter sports enthusiasts such as skiers and snowboarders, i.e., overalls and snowpants. Overalls, also known as bibs, typically have a hi-top section that extends above the waist, and permanently attached suspenders. The suspenders are typically secured in the front and back of the bib, with the attachment in at least the back generally being permanent. Some bibs detachably secure the suspenders in the front, typically using a button and metal loop fastener arrangement. Bibs also typically have zippers, either in the front or along the sides, to facilitate the wearer in putting the bibs on and taking them off.
Snowpants typically do not include a hi-top portion extending above the waist. In addition, snowpants do not generally include permanently attached suspenders. Rather, snowpants are generally supported about the wearer's waist in the same manner as other pants, e.g., by employing a pair of pants that fits snugly about the waist or by employing a belt. To enable a single pair to be worn by people with different size waists, some snowpants include an adjustable tightening system along the waistline. One common type of tightening system utilizes a mating set of hook and loop fasteners, known by the trademark Velcro.RTM.. This arrangement permits the wearer to adjust the waist of the snowpants to the desired size.
Some snowpants employ a zipper in the front to facilitate entry and exit. Alternatively, other snowpants include a zipper along the side of one or both of the legs for the same purpose. Dual side-zippered snowpants typically include separate front and back panels that are joined at the side zipper seams. Such snowpants have the advantage that the front and back panels can be separated to drop the seat of the pants (e.g., when using bathroom facilities), without removing or lowering the front portion of the pants.
Some snowpants have employed removable suspenders to allow the wearer to optionally use the suspenders only when desired. Typically, such snowpants include some fastening hardware (e.g., a plastic loop) to which the suspenders can be attached. However, the attachment hardware is provided on the snowpants even when the suspenders are not in use. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that when used with snowpants having side zippers, suspenders are conventionally connected to the pants at four locations, i.e., left and right locations on the front panel, and left and right locations on the back panel. When connected in this manner, the advantages of the abovedescribed drop seat feature are diminished because the attachment of the suspenders to the rear panel prevents the seat from being dropped unless the suspenders are first removed from the shoulders of the wearer.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pair of suspenders.